the peterkin papers-第15节

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ere　to　have　new　parlor　carpets；　which　could　be　put　down　in　　the　new　house　the　first　thing。　Then　the　parlor　furniture　could　be　moved　in；　and　　there　would　be　two　comfortable　rooms；　in　which　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　could　sit　　while　the　rest　of　the　move　went　on。　Then　the　old　parlor　carpets　could　be　taken　　up　for　the　new　dining…room　and　the　downstairs　bedroom；　and　the　family　could　　meanwhile　dine　at　the　old　house。　Mr。　Peterkin　did　not　object　to　this；　though　the　　distance　was　considerable；　as　he　felt　exercise　would　be　good　for　them　all。

Elizabeth　Eliza's　programme　then　arranged　that　the　dining…room　furniture　should　　be　moved　the　third　day；　by　which　time　one　of　the　old　parlor　carpets　would　be　　down　in　the　new　dining…room；　and　they　could　still　sleep　in　the　old　house。　Thus　　there　would　always　be　a　quiet；　comfortable　place　in　one　house　or　the　other。　Each　　night；　when　Mr。　Peterkin　came　home；　he　would　find　some　place　for　quiet　thought　　and　rest；　and　each　day　there　should　be　moved　only　the　furniture　needed　for　a　　certain　room。　Great　confusion　would　be　avoided　and　nothing　misplaced。　Elizabeth　　Eliza　wrote　these　last　words　at　the　head　of　her　programme；…〃　Misplace　nothing。〃

And　Agamemnon　made　a　copy　of　the　programme　for　each　member　of　the　family。

　THE　PETERKINS　ARE　MOVED。…Page　126。　The　first　thing　to　be　done　was　to　buy　the　parlor　carpets。　Elizabeth　Eliza　had　　already　looked　at　some　in　Boston；　and　the　next　morning　she　went；　by　an　early　　train；　with　her　father；　Agamemnon；　and　Solomon　John；　to　decide　upon　them。

　They　got　home　about　eleven　o'clock；　and　when　they　reached　the　house　were　　dismayed　to　find　two　furniture　wagons　in　front　of　the　gate；　already　partly　　filled　！　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　walking　in　and　out　of　the　open　door；　a　large　book　in　　one　hand；　and　a　duster　in　the　other；　and　she　came　to　meet　them　in　an　agony　of　　anxiety。　What　should　they　do？　The　furniture　carts　had　appeared　soon　after　the　　rest　had　left　for　Boston；　and　the　men　had　insisted　upon　beginning　to　move　the　　things。　In　vain　had　she　shown　Elizabeth　Eliza's　programme；　in　vain　had　she　　insisted　they　must　take　only　the　parlor　furniture。　They　had　declared　they　must　　put　the　heavy　pieces　in　the　bottom　of　the　cart；　and　the　lighter　furniture　on　　top。　So　she　had　seen　them　go　into　every　room　in　the　house；　and　select　one　piece　　of　furniture　after　another；　without　even　looking　at　Elizabeth　Eliza's　programme；　　she　doubted　if　they　could　have　read　it　if　they　had　looked　at　it。

Mr。　Peterkin　had　ordered　the　carters　to　come；　but　he　had　no　idea　they　would　come　　so　early；　and　supposed　it　would　take　them　a　long　time　to　fill　the　carts。

　But　they　had　taken　the　dining…room　sideboard　first；…a　heavy　piece　of　　furniture；…and　all　its　contents　were　now　on　the　dining…room　tables。　Then；　　indeed；　they　selected　the　parlor　book…case；　but　had　set　every　book　on　the　floor　　The　men　had　told　Mrs。　Peterkin　they　would　put　the　books　in　the　bottom　of　the　　cart；　very　much　in　the　order　they　were　taken　from　the　shelves。　But　by　this　time　　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　considering　the　carters　as　natural　enemies；　and　dared　not　　trust　them；　besides；　the　books　ought　all　to　be　dusted。　So　she　was　now　holding　　one　of　the　volumes　of　Agamemnon's　Encyclop？dia；　with　difficulty；　in　one　hand；　　while　she　was　dusting　it　with　the　other。　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　in　dismay。　At　this　　moment　four　men　were　bringing　down　a　large　chest　of　drawers　from　her　father's　　room；　and　they　called　to　her　to　stand　out　of　the　way。　The　parlors　were　a　scene　　of　confusion。　In　dusting　the　books　Mrs。　Peterkin　neglected　to　restore　them　to　　the　careful　rows　in　which　they　were　left　by　the　men；　and　they　lay　in　hopeless　　masses　in　different　parts　of　the　room。　Elizabeth　Eliza　sunk　in　despair　upon　the　　end　of　a　sofa。

〃It　would　have　been　better　to　buy　the　red　and　blue　carpet；〃　said　Solomon　John。

〃Is　not　the　carpet　bought？〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Peterkin。　And　then　they　were　obliged　　to　confess　they　had　been　unable　to　decide　upon　one；　and　had　come　back　to　consult　　Mrs。　Peterkin。

〃What　shall　we　do？〃　asked　Mrs。　Peterkin。

Elizabeth　Eliza　rose　from　the　sofa　and　went　to　the　door；　saying；　〃I　shall　be　　back　in　a　moment。〃

Agamemnon　slowly　passed　round　the　room；　collecting　the　scattered　volumes　of　his　　Encyclop？dia。　Mr。　Peterkin　offered　a　helping　hand　to　a　man　lifting　a　wardrobe。

Elizabeth　Eliza　soon　returned。　〃I　did　not　like　to　go　and　ask　her。　But　I　felt　　that　I　must　in　such　an　emergency。　I　explained　to　her　the　whole　matter；　and　she　　thinks　we　should　take　the　carpet　at　Makillan's。〃

〃Makillan's〃　was　a　store　in　the　village；　and　the　carpet　was　the　only　one　all　the　　family　had　liked　without　any　doubt；　but　they　had　supposed　they　might　prefer　one　　from　Boston。

The　moment　was　a　critical　one。　Solomon　John　was　sent　directly　to　Makillan's　to　　order　the　carpet　to　be　put　down　that　very　day。　But　where　should　they　dine？　where　　should　they　have　their　supper？　and　where　was　Mr。　Peterkin's　〃quiet　hour〃　？

Elizabeth　Eliza　was　frantic；　the　dining…room　floor　and　table　were　covered　with　　things。

It　was　decided　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　should　dine　at　the　Bromwicks；　who　had　　been　most　neighborly　in　their　offers；　and　the　rest　should　get　something　to　eat　　at　the　baker's。

Agamemnon　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　hastened　away　to　be　ready　to　receive　the　carts　at　　the　other　house；　and　direct　the　furniture　as　they　could。　After　all　there　was　　something　exhilarating　in　this　opening　of　the　new　house；　and　in　deciding　where　　things　should　go。　Gayly　Elizabeth　Eliza　stepped　down　the　front　garden　of　the　new　　home；　and　across　the　piazza；　and　to　the　door。　But　it　was　locked；　and　she　had　no　　keys！

〃Agamemnon；　did　you　bring　the　keys？〃　she　exclaimed。

No；　he　had　not　seen　them　since　the　morning；…when…ah！…yes；　the　little　boys　were　　allowed　to　go　to　the　house　for　their　india…rubber　boots；　as　there　was　a　　threatening　of　rain。　Perhaps　they　had　left　some　door　unfastened…perhaps　they　had　　put　the　keys　under　the　door…mat。　No；　each　door；　each　window；　was　solidly　closed；　　and　there　was　no　mat！

〃I　shall　have　to　go　to　the　school　to　see　if　they　took　the　keys　with　them；〃　said　　Agamemnon；　〃or　else　go　home　to　see　if　they　left　them　there。〃　The　school　was　in　a　　different　direction　from　the　house；　and　far　at　the　other　end　of　the　town；　for　　Mr。　Peterkin　had　not　yet　changed　the　boys'　school；　as　he　proposed　to　do　after　　their　move。

〃That　will　be　the　only　way；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　for　it　had　been　arranged　that　　the　little　boys　should　take　their　lunch　to　school；　and　not　come　home　at　noon。

She　sat　down　on　the　steps　to　wait；　but　only　for　a　moment；　for　the　carts　soon　　appeared；　turning　the　corner。　What　should　be　done　with　the　furniture？　Of　course　　the　carters　must　wait　for　the　keys；　as　she　should　need　them　to　set　the　furniture　　up　in　the　right　places。　But　they　could　not　stop　for　this。　They　put　it　down　upon　　the　piazza；　on　the　steps；　in　the　garden；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　saw　how　incongruous　　it　was！　There　was　something　from　every　room　in　the　house！　Even　the　large　family　　chest；　which　had　proved　too　heavy　for　them　to　travel　with　had　come　down　from　the　　attic；　and　stood　against　the　front　door。

And　Solomon　John　appeared　with　the　carpet　woman；　and　a　boy　with　a　wheelbarrow；　　bringing　the　new　carpet。　And　all　stood　and　waited。　Some　opposite　neighbors　　appeared　to　offer　advice　and　look　on；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　groaned　inwardly　that　　only　the　shabbiest　of　their　furniture　appeared　to　be　standing　full　in　view。

　It　seemed　ages　before　Agamemnon　returned；　and　no　wonder；　for　he　had　been　to　the　　house；　then　to　the　school；　then　back　to　the　house；　for　one　of　the　little　boys　　had　left　the　keys　at　home；　in　the　pocket　of　his　clothes。　Meanwhile　the　　carpet…woman　had　waited；　and　the　boy　with　the　wheelbarrow　had　waited；　and　when　　they　got　in　they　found　the　parlor　must　be　swept　and　cleaned。　So　the　carpet…woman　　went　off　in　dudgeon；　for　she　was　sure　there　would　not　be　time　enough　to　do　　anything。

And　one　of　the　carts　came　again；　and　in　their　hurry　the　men　set　the　furniture　　down　anywhere。　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　hoping　to　make　a　little　place　in　the　　dining…room；　where　they　might　have　their　supper；　and　go　home　to　sleep。　But　she　　looked　out；　and　there　were　the　carters　bringing　the　bedsteads；　and　proceeding　to　　carry　them　upstairs。

In　despair　Elizabeth　Eliza　went　back　to　the　old　house。　If　she　had　been　there　she　　might　have　prevented　this。　She　found　Mrs。　Peterkin　in　an　agony　about　the　entry　　oil…cloth。　It　had　been　made　in　the　house；　and　how　could　it　be　taken　out　of　the　　house？　Agamemnon　made　measurements；　it　certainly　could　not　go　out　of　the　front　　door！　He　suggested　it　might　be　left　till　the　house　was　pulled　down；　when　it　　could　easily　be　moved　out　of　one　side。　But　Elizabeth　Eliza　reminded　him　that　the　　whole　house　was　to　be　moved　without　being　taken　apart。　Perhaps　it　could　be　cut　　in　strips　narrow　enough　to　go　out。　One　of　the　men　loading　the　remaining　cart　　disposed　of　the　question　by　coming　in　and　rolling　up　the　oil…cloth　and　carrying　　it　on　on　top　of　his　wagon。

Elizabeth　Eliza　felt　she　must　hurry　back　to　the　new　house。　But　what　should　they　　do？…no　beds　here；　no　carpets　there！　The　dining…room　table　and　sideboard　were　at　　the　other　house；　the　plates；　and　forks；　and　spoons　here。　In　vain　she　looked　at　　her　programme。　It　was　all　reversed；　everything　was　misplaced